Vol.14/ No.48/ Jun 2017 Received 2017/03/04 Accepted 2017/05/15 Persian translation of this paper entitled: الگویابی معماری مساجد هند is also published in this issue of journal. Finding the Patterns of Indian Mosques Architecture Ehsan Dizany* Abstract India is one of the countries that has had diverse civilizations from the distant past, so in architectural standpoint, this country is rich and varied. The arrival of Islam in India and the formation of Islamic governments led to the formation of a certain type of Islamic architecture in this subcontinent. The architecture of Indian mosques is evaluated as a prominent model of Islamic architecture of subcontinent. This study is based on the assumption that the pattern of Indian mosques architecture is a combination of early Iranian-Islamic architecture of mosques and Indian vernacular architecture. Finding the roots of Architectural features of Indian mosques is the subject of this article. In this paper, the influence of early Islamic mosques’ architecture and rich and historical architecture of India on Indian mosques architecture before the arrival of Islam and the architecture of developed Islamic civilizations in the Indian neighborhoods such as Iran, is studied. Generally Indian mosques architectural features include prayer-hall in the Qibla direction, existence of courtyard, Four-Iwan pattern, crusts odd divisions, especially triple ones, presence of mosque in plaza and its position on a Soffeh (in height), access to the mosque entrances by wide stairs, triple divisions of Gonbad Khane in the Qibla direction and the use of transparent porticos around courtyard (Half of the outer crust that has external view). Finding the roots of features of above architecture in this paper will lead to a discovery of Indian mosques architectural patterns. Keywords Pattern Finding, Architecture, Mosque, Temple, India, Iran. *. M.Sc. in Renovation and Restoration of Historical Monuments and Sites, University of Tehran. [email protected] .......................................73.. .. ........... ........ ....... .......... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism Ehsan Dizany/ Bagh- e Nazar, 14 (48):73-82 Introduction will be introduced. Evolution of Indian mosques Indian mosques’ architecture has features that architectural features will be identified in three early, propose basic questions such as How was the middle and developed periods during the time. evolution of mosques architectural pattern in India? What features have the Indian mosques devolved Indian vernacular architecture patterns? Where did originate the features of Indian Ajanta Caves is from in second century BC and mosques architectural patterns? This article has been has 29 Buddhist temples (Fig. 1). Ellora Caves are developed to answer these questions. The research from in sixth and tenth centuries and include twelve method is descriptive and analytical. The comparative Buddhist caves, seventeen Hindu caves, and five approach in this paper is used to propose the case Chinese caves. Placing on natural and artificial studies and discuss their characteristics. In order height is Ajanta and Ellora caves architectural to find the roots of Indian mosques architectural features. Triple divisions, accessing by huge stairs, features the case studies were selected among three existence of specified entrances and stone statues Indian vernacular architecture and early Islamic and decorations are the other architectural features Iranian and Indian mosques, and their features are of caves (Fig. 2 & 3). the basis of extracting and analyzing the features. Alfanta Temple- Hindu Cave-Temples in Alfanta Ajanta, Ellora, and Alfanta temples were selected (from sixth century AD) have architectural features from the pre-Islamic vernacular architecture in such as triple divisions, Locating on a (natural) India, Al-Masjid an-Nabi (PBUH) from the basic height and Greatness orientation. Perhaps the architecture of the Islamic era, “Fahraj Mosque” as finest achievement of Hindu art can be seen on the an early Iranian mosque and “Isfahan Jame mosque” Alfanta Island that in sixth century AD, its craftsmen as a complete sample of Iranian mosques. In order to (the monk’s artist) excavated inside a peak and study the evolution of mosques in India, Examples created a huge columned hall to the extent of three such as “Ajmer Sharif mosque” as the sample of early hundred square meters (inside the cave). Arriving mosques, “Ahmedabad Jame mosque” as a pattern at the temple, visitors will stare into it through the of emerging mosques in India, and “Delhi Jame rows of heavy columns and after acclimating with mosque” as a perfect example of Indian mosques dark, they will see three giant heads that gradually architecture, were selected and their features are appear on opposite wall. In these heads, Shiva has given on the title of Indian mosques architectural been manifested as Mahadeva, the God of gods and features conclusion. At the end, a comparative study visualization of creativity, survival and destruction and analysis of the inferential features of Indian power. Immediately after seeing the heads that vernacular architecture, the early Islamic-Iranian have almost 420 cm height from the temple surface, mosques and Indian mosques examples are given. an image of power will be induced to the viewers who seem more dwarfs in comparison with them Finding the roots of architectural features of (Gardner, 1995: 689); (fig. 4). Indian mosques Kandariya Mahadeva temple was built in Khajuraho In this section, in order to understand and find the in the eleventh century and it is a Hindu Temple roots of Indian mosque architecture, at first the (Albanese, 30). Locating on an artificial Soffeh is one ........... India vernacular architecture and some examples of of the architectural features of this building. Other Indian temple architecture will be introduced and features are accessibility by wide stairs, specified .......... their characteristics will be summarized. Then the entrances, stone status and decorations (Fig. 5 - 7). ........ architectural features of early Islamic mosques and Konarak temple- Built in the thirteenth century; ....... then the architectural features of mosques in Iran Konarak temple is a Hindu Temple. This temple was ...... ............................ ............................................................. 74 ... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism .... Ehsan Dizany/ Bagh- e Nazar, 14 (48):73-82 Fig. 1. Triple divisions in one of the Ajanta Caves, the second century BC. Photo: Dizany, 2012. Fig. 2. Construction of temples on natural height and creating the Fig. 3. Locating on Soffeh, specified entrances, stone statues and staircases, Ellora Caves, between the sixth and tenth centuries AD. Photo: decorations in the Ellora temples, between the sixth and tenth centuries Dizany, 2012. AD. Photo: Dizany, 2012. constructed on an artificial Soffeh and access to it, is and accessing by huge stairs and triple divisions of ........... possible by using wide stairs and specified entrances interior spaces, columns and heads are cave-temples .......... in three sides (Fig. 8 - 10). features. During the time, late Indian temples, Primary samples of Indian temples were created inspired by cave temples, were made on natural or ........ like caves inside the mountains. Locating in height artificial Soffehs and wide stairs were created to ....... ...... ........ ........... .......... ........ ....... ...... ........... ........ ....... 75 .......... The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism ........ Ehsan Dizany/ Bagh- e Nazar, 14 (48):73-82 Early Islamic mosques Al-Masjid an-Nabi (PBUH) in Madina is an early mosque (Figure 11). “The Prophet’s Mosque in Medina is the first built place in Islam after Quba mosque” (Pirnia, 2003:136). This space was in Mecca direction(is toward Mecca) and has a columned roofed space with columns (prayer-hall), yard, rooms for living and Soffeh. The mosque has had a central position. The mosque has a prayer- hall in the Qibla direction and courtyard in which Fig. 4. Triple divisions of Shiva as Mahadeva (creativity, survival, and entrances were located around it. destruction), a temple cave, Alfanta Island, sixth century AD. Source: Gardner, 1999: 692. Iranian mosques Fahraj Mosque of Yazd is an early Iranian mosque. The mosque has a prayer-hall in Qibla direction and a courtyard. The architectural body of this mosque is originated in Iran pre-Islamic architecture (Fig. 12).” One of the most original Khorasani style buildings is Fahraj mosque. This mosque may be the oldest mosque in the world built in Iran that has constructing features of Parthian-Sassanid style” (Pirnia, 2003: 173). The mosque is decorated with pre-Islamic Fig. 5. Temple entrance and side facades, Kandariya Mahadeva, eleventh architecture. “Plaster Motifs and its tendrils are century. Source: www.education.asianart.org. as same as Kasra Palace Motifs in Ctesiphon.” (Ibid.139). Isfahan Jame Mosque is a perfect example of Iranian mosques (Figure 13) that always has a central location in the city and is beside the market (Bazaar). Isfahan Jame Mosque as a perfect example of Iranian mosque has four-Iwan towards the courtyard. “The first plan of the mosque was in Boomoslemy style (columned prayer-hall) built in 156 AH and excavations made its position clear. In the fifth and sixth centuries, fundamental changes occurred